PlantSowGrow
How to plant and care for Blueberry (Bluecrop)
Vaccinium corymbosum
Reliable, heavy crops of large, sweet blueberries in late summer, with fiery autumn leaves. Needs acidic compost — ideal in a big pot.
At a glance: harvest in July.
When to plant and care for it
Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.
Growing Blueberry (Bluecrop): what it needs
- Light
- Full sun · 6+ hours a day
- Watering
- Water with rainwater — tap water slowly makes the soil alkaline
- Soil
- Acidic (pH 4–5.5) ericaceous compost
- Spacing
- 1.5 m, or one per 40 cm pot
- Height
- 1.5 m
- In pots
- Grows well in containers
- Feeding
- Ericaceous feed in spring
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 4–7
Step by step
- On planting day
Plant
Plant 1.5 m, or one per 40 cm pot apart in weed-free, well-prepared soil enriched with compost, and water in well.
- 0–3 days after “Plant”
Water In With Rainwater
Water in well using rainwater, and keep the compost moist.
- 7–21 days after “Water In With Rainwater”
Mulch
Spread 5 cm of compost or bark around the plants to keep moisture in and weeds down.
Every year
- FebruaryWinter Prune
Remove dead, weak and crossing stems and cut one or two of the oldest stems to the base.
Starts from year 3.
- AprilEricaceous Feed
Feed with an ericaceous (acid-loving) fertiliser and top up the pine-bark mulch.
- JuneNet Against Birds
Net the bushes as the berries turn blue.
- JulyPick Blueberries
Pick berries when fully blue with a white bloom; go over the bush every few days.
